32,000 illegal Ethiopians to be deported by November end

Ethiopians gather as they wait to be repatriated in Manfouha, southern Riyadh, in this Nov. 10, 2013 photo. (Reuters)

November 24, 2013, Jeddah (Arab News) – Saudi Airlines intends to charter 70 flights to deport around 32,000 Ethiopians until the end of November.

Around 40 flights have already left Riyadh and Jeddah to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa since Nov. 12, said Abdullah Al-Ajhar, assistant general director of public relations in Saudia.

“The next stage will be implemented as of today and will last until the end of November. This phase will oversee the transportation of 32,000 Ethiopians back home.”

He said Saudia has been assigned with providing reservations for violators and renting additional carriers if the need arises.

Saudia is prepared to secure additional flights to transport violators to their country. He said there is no shortage of flights so far.

Col. Badr bin Saud Al-Saud, public relations director for the Makkah Province police, said the Shumaisy center is not directly involved in receiving or deporting violators.

He said the center only receives persons arrested for violating residency rules. Al-Saud said that expats with no identification papers are asked about their nationalities and that representatives from their consulates are called to meet and identify them. He said there is a special ward for each nationality.

After fingerprinting the violators and capturing digital images, more photos are taken and given to the consulates, which issue special travel documents for the persons in question.

Violators are then deported at the expense of the Kingdom. Violators, however, will not be deported if the consulates do not issue travel documents. Consulates have cooperated with authorities so far, he said.

The center has headquarters that receive representatives from foreign consulates. These representatives are working around the clock to issue travel documents for their nationals. A representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinates between these representatives and security authorities.